Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About Twins

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Unless you are a twin yourself or have had a pair of twins of your own, there are probably some interesting facts that you do not know about them. And even if you have had twins you may be surprised to learn some of these amazing oddities that make being two of a kind so very special. There are a lot more to twins than what meets the eye. Here are a few facts about identicals and fraternals that you probably didn’t already know.

It is possible for twins to have different biological fathers

While it may seem like a plot to a Lifetime movie of the week or a storyline on an old soap opera, the truth is that it is very possible for twins to be half-siblings. Each month, a women will release one egg that can be fertilized by one sperm. However, there are rare occasions when two eggs are released, both of which could be fertilized by separate male donors.

Twins can be of different races

If the parents of the twins are both mixed races, there are actually millions of different possibilities as to what race each child may be and what they will look like. When the mom and dad are both from two or more races, their eggs and sperm will both contain the genetics that are capable of creating various skin types. While usually both babies end up being the same race, there have been some rare cases where both twins end up a unique race such as one baby being white and their brother or sister being black.

Separated at Birth but Still the Same

Even twins who do not grow up together can still have the same interests and similar personalities. There are multiple stories circulating online of where twins who, for whatever reason, were separated at birth. And even though they never met they still lived lives that eerily mirrored one another’s. Sometimes their similarities went far beyond coincidental occurrences such as marrying a woman with the same name, naming their children the same or taking the same type of career. There have even been some tales of separated twins becoming sick at the same time.

Cousins are Really Siblings

What? Okay, if a pair of identical male twins have children with a pair of identical female twins, their children will legally be classified as cousins, but genetically they will be full siblings. Since the genetic pool of identical twins is well, identical, if two sets of identical twins have children, those children have the same genetic makeup as their cousins.

Having a set of Twins Could Mean a Longer Life for Mom

Good news! All that hard work has paid off. By dealing with two infants instead of one at a time you have managed to extend your life. It is believed that women who give birth to twins are essentially healthier than those who do not. And it is also believed that twins are an evolutionary adaptation that passes on the genes of those mothers twice in one pregnancy.

Taller Women Have a Greater Chance of Having Twins

While there has not been too much research done on the subject in order to make it official, in some countries where there are taller-than-average women, those areas also have higher rates of twin births. Taller females are also known for having higher levels of growth hormones and this will make their ovaries more susceptible to spontaneous twinning.

Women Who Consume More Dairy Products Are More Likely to Have Twins

On average, women who eat and drink more dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter are five times more likely to give birth to twins that those who do not.

Twins will Show Signs of their Bondi in the Womb

According to an Italian study on the fetal development of twins in the womb, it has been shown that twins begin reaching for each other as early as 14 weeks of gestational age. By the time they have reached their 18th week, they are able to touch the other twin more than they touch themselves. Images from ultrasounds have also shown that twin are able to gesture with each other and were very delicate when they touched.

Twins can be an Exact Reflection of Each Other

Known as Mirror Twins, about ¼ of all identical twins end up facing each other in the womb and that causes them to become reflections of each other. One may be right-handed while the other is left-handed. And if there are any birthmarks, they will appear on the opposite sides of the body.

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